The Phone Call
by SweetKnees
Summary: Leo calls Abbey in an effort to end the government shutdown. This is how I imagine it went. (Constructive criticism and feedback are greatly appreciated, if anyone out there is still reading West Wing fan fiction!)


The President was falling apart. Leo could see it. First Zoey's kidnapping. Then Abbey leaving. Having to make Bob Russell the vice president. The tornado in Oklahoma. Josh losing Senator Carrick. The budget crisis was the final straw. Abbey had left on the 4th of July. It was now November. Enough was enough. Leo didn't like playing marriage counselor, but this wasn't even about reuniting Jed and Abbey. This was about getting the President to a place where he could govern again.

He took a deep breath before dialing the number. He turned to face the window in his office as he waited for someone to pick up the phone.

"Leo." Her voice was icy.

"Abbey. How did you know it was me?"

"You think even up here on the farm we could get away without having caller ID?" She laughed derisively. She cut right to the chase. "I don't mean to be impertinent, but what do you want?"

"Look, I don't want to get in the middle of you and Jed, but…"

"Hmph."

He ignored her grunt. "…but he's shut down the government. Abbey, it's been days and he refuses to even talk to anyone about it." Leo's voice became more desperate. "We can't legislate. I can't get him to listen to me!"

"What exactly do you want me to do about it?" She asked, trying to sound as haughty as she could.

Leo sensed her tone, but he'd be damned if he didn't do all he could to ingratiate himself to her. So he answered softly, "You have to come back."

Silence.

Fearing she might not agree, Leo added, "He needs you, Abbey. Please."

Abbey sighed. It had been four months. Truth be told, she missed Jed. Missed him terribly. But she was still hurting. Zoey had healed physically and was on her way to healing emotionally. But how could Abbey forgive her husband?

"All right. But this doesn't mean I've forgiven him. Or you. I'm doing this so the damn government gets up and running again."

"Thank you, Abbey."

She hung up the phone. Abbey paused for a moment before getting up from the kitchen table to go find Zoey.

She knocked on Zoey's door, waiting to hear a "Come in."

"What's up, Mom?" Zoey asked, peering up from her book.

Abbey came over and sat down on the bed next to her daughter. Fingering the patchwork quilt, she said, "I have to go back to Washington. It seems your father has shut down the government."

"Are you ready to see him?" Zoey asked hopefully.

Abbey sighed. "Don't worry about me. I just came up to tell you about this because I wanted to know if you wanted to stay here or go stay with Liz while I'm gone."

"While you're gone?" Zoey looked at her mother curiously. "Does this mean you're not planning on staying down in DC with Dad?"

"Honey, it's complicated."

"Mom, please don't blame him for what happened. I'm doing fine." Zoey tried to reassure her mother with a smile.

Abbey took Zoey's hand and looked her in the eye. "Zo, I don't want you worrying about your father and me."

"I can't heal if I know you two aren't okay!" Zoey started to cry. "All these months I let you keep Dad away because I knew you were hurting. What he did was wrong. But you can't punish him forever!"

"Baby, come here." Abbey stretched out her arms and enveloped her daughter. "It's going to be okay. I'm hurt and angry, but I still love your father very much. That's why it hurts so much."

"He didn't want you to worry," Zoey's voice came out muffled against her mother's chest. "He didn't want you to think of him differently or to carry his burdens."

"I know," Abbey said quietly. "Look, I'm going to see him tomorrow. We will work it out. I promise." And Abbey meant it.

On the plane ride to DC, Abbey fretted over how she should act. She wasn't sure how to face the man she loved most in the world who had betrayed her. It wasn't just seeing Jed again. She had put up with living in a fishbowl for five years, and she longed for peace and privacy. Not only did she hate how the stress of the job took its toll on Jed's health, but also it pained her to have to share so much of his attention with other people. She'd given up her medical license for him. She'd acquiesced when he wanted to run again. And in return? He'd made decision after important decision without her. They were supposed to be partners. No one knew him better than she did yet he continually pushed her away. Why? What had she done to deserve being shut out?

Truthfully, she had forgiven Jed months ago. She wanted him to feel as isolated and shut out as she had. So she refused to talk to him, refused to let him come visit the farm. She hadn't meant for him to fall apart.

Lost in her thoughts, Abbey didn't hear the steward the first time. "Ma'am? I said we're landing in just a few moments."

'This is it,' Abbey thought.


End file.
